This country is very sick and what is being revealed right now is that many Christians have not only drank the poison too, but that many churches lack the antidote. In fact they may be pushing the poison too.

And sadly many of us our ill-equipped, but you know who isn’t? Who has not been caught of guard by what is happening? That’s right Jesus.

To be clear the antidote is the brown-skinned Jesus who suffered and died on the cross, who admonished the Pharisees for their rigid religious practices while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The Son of God and of Man who said to love God and your neighbor.

We need Christians who are peace-makers, not peace keepers. We need Christians that understand the power of turning the other cheek and of love. Christians that are hopeful in the face of suffering and who trust that Jesus has/can/will build HIS church without any political power

We need Christians who are willing to confront, but not all confrontation is reflective of Jesus. Jesus modeled a type of confrontation that brought repentance, encouraged good fruit, stripped away false ideologies and idols. He did not bring weapons or throw punches.

This is not a time to shrink back, but to evaluate the fruit, to prune, to weed out, to sow anew. I am saddened by the state of our country, but more by the state of our church. I am still hopeful in Jesus and his power to transform hearts, minds, and systems.

And just as Dr. King still hoped from a jail cell in Birmingham, I too “hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour.”